CORONER'S INQUEST.

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 29, 20 December 1845, Page 3

CORONER'S INQUEST.

An Inquest was held at the Commercial Inn, on Thursday last, on the body of John M'Glathery, an American, who died at the stores of the American Consul, J. B. Williams, Esq. The jury, having selected Mr, Hart for their foreman, viewed the body. Three persons — John Jones, Robert Derrick, and Henry M'Dermott, supposed to be implicated were brought before the jucy, in custody of the police. , From the mass of evidence detailed to the jury, the facts established were— that the deceased, in company with another American in the employ of Mr. Williams, had been to the Yew Tree Inn on the evening of the 29th November, and remained there from about eight o'clock until eleven, and then went to the bar of the Victoria Hotel, at which there were three or four persons drinking. After being about ten minutes, the whole left it, being time to close, shortly before midnight. The evidence of the bar keeper to the Victoria was exceedingly clear and consistent. He stated that the deceased, his companion, and the three persons in custody, with another man who went by the name of " Sails," but whose real name he did not know, all left the Victoria together, and the house was closed for the night. About five minutes after, he heard the cry of " Murder," and on running out he found the deceased lying on the ground, near the fence of Messrs. Williamson and Crummer's store ; the deceased said he had been beaten by the men ; the constables came and took the deceased to the watchhouse. The evidence of Dr. Ford was very clear and conclusive that the deceased came by his death in conspquence of the injuries he had received. On Wednesday evening, the 3rd Dec. was called in to attend him ; found him ▼cry much bruised about the head and face, with acute pain in the bowels ; he rallied oc- j casionally, but never lost the pain in his j bowels ; on Monday last, he became sud- ] denly worse, ?nd his pains increased, until | his death on Thursday morning at six o'clock. Had examined the body after death, and found the cause of death to have been acute inflammation, brought on by injuries he had received in the bowels. On the day previous to his death, the deceased identified Jones, and stated that "Sails" who lived somewhere in Mechanics' Bay, was another man who had ill-used him while in the lock-up ; that they had knocked him down with their fists and then stamped upon him. He was quite aware of his approaching •Jisbolution, of which he had questioned Dr. Ford, and wa» perfectly collected when he made that statement about ten hours before his death. Edward Leary, Lock-up keeper, deposed that Jones, Derrick, and a person named Wagg«itt, alias "Sails," were brougnt to him after the deceased, by the constables, on the night of the 29th Nov. ; that some time after they were !o< ked up he was aroused by cries of "murder," and on going to the cell, the deceased complained that they were attempting to rob him of his jacket. The evidence of this witness went to show that the deceassd

had cried " murder/ twice; but he only went to the floor of the cell and threatened them with irons if they dd not keep quiet. After the Coroner had commented briefly on the evidence, the Jury retired, and soon afterwards through the foreman declared the following Verdict: — " We find that the deceased John McGlathery came hy his death in consequence of a severe beating, he received from three men, John Jones, Robert Derrick, and Thomas Waggett, alias Sails: and we find that the Lock-up keeper grossly neglected his duty in not properly interfering for the safety of his prisoners in the Lock-up, wheu he heard repeated cries of Murder issuing therefrom. — The Jury avail themselves of this opportunity of drawing the attention of the Authorities, to the harsh and brutal manner, in which the Constabulary, invariably, treat persons taken to ihe lock-up for drunkenness. It cannot be unknown, to the Police Magistrate, that the Constables are in the habit of beating persons with their staves, and ot affixing small cords u>pon their wrists, and, in that manner, dragging them through the streets, — a species of torture, as unnecessary as it is disgracefnl to the Authorities who counteuance.it; and which is at utter variance, with the course, ordered by the Magistrates in England, to be adopted by the Constabulary there, in which so much of kindness, as is consistent with the public peace, has displaced police brutalities."